How to avoid USB-virus?

[ycc]

Hi,

I travel frequently and I must often go to Internetcafes. I used to carry USB flash disks (Thumb drives) (Windows formatted). When I connect them to the cybercafe computer it happens regularly that they are infected by virus. The recycler virus is popular now in Asia.

What will happen when I connect my Galaxy Note II (Android)? Can the Windows USB viruses spread to Android when it is connected as mass storage? (I think they can.)

Is there anything I can do to avoid it? The extra storage sd card has maybe a write protect switch. But it is hard to open the phone and set the switch every time I go to the cygbercafe. It will not help for the internal memory either.

Thanks

 

[kizy]

Just keep safe.

Sent from my HTC One X using Android Central Forums

 

[Yurij]

Hi,

I travel frequently and I must often go to Internetcafes. I used to carry USB flash disks (Thumb drives) (Windows formatted). When I connect them to the cybercafe computer it happens regularly that they are infected by virus. The recycler virus is popular now in Asia.

What will happen when I connect my Galaxy Note II (Android)? Can the Windows USB viruses spread to Android when it is connected as mass storage? (I think they can.)

Is there anything I can do to avoid it? The extra storage sd card has maybe a write protect switch. But it is hard to open the phone and set the switch every time I go to the cygbercafe. It will not help for the internal memory either.

Thanks

A Windows virus must also target android to affect it.


Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk HD

 

[titans30dude]

Depends on the virus...in all likely hood. No. Most of the time only windows is affected. There are many many many more windows virus' then linux and mac virus'

Sent from my DROID X2 using Android Central Forums

 

[ycc]

Thanks for the replies.
I tried to Google before asking of course. But I can not get definite answers.
My impression is that when Android is connected as mass storage, The Recycler-virus can spread from Windows to the phone.
http://androidforums.com/desire-hd-support-troubleshooting/408139-recycler-virus-sd-card.html
It would be good with an app that makes USB connection work one way only.

 

[Yurij]

Thanks for the replies.
I tried to Google before asking of course. But I can not get definite answers.
My impression is that when Android is connected as mass storage, The Recycler-virus can spread from Windows to the phone.
http://androidforums.com/desire-hd-support-troubleshooting/408139-recycler-virus-sd-card.html
It would be good with an app that makes USB connection work one way only.

It could affect your files on the card if it's designed for it.
But it won't affect the android unless it targets it.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk HD

 

[ycc]

The problem I have to face is that some cybercafes do virusscanning of usb. If they find the recycler virus they deny access.
It is sometimes possible to remove the virus manually from the stick, operating from Windows and unbplug the USB really fast.
I think I will not connect my phone to cybercafe computers (via usb).
Virus scanning tools are not efficient here in my opinion.

 

[amcjavelinsst]

HEy dude - I use Avast, like their product on my Laptop, made sense to continue it on the phone, and it is free on phone - awesome AV product - Cheers

 

[ycc]

Thanks, I will look into it. I am super content with Avast on my Win 7 laptop. Also free.

 

[ycc]

Just installed Avast. Seems to function really well, like almost everything I have tried in Android.
I have written code since 1974, but I have only used Android since two weeks. But I must say that Android and the apps is probably the best functioning system I have ever used.

 

[ycc]

Avast works well, but here I think it has an issue. I think I can discard all these notifications?

 

[donec]

Avast works well, but here I think it has an issue. I think I can discard all these notifications?

What are you saying the problem is with it discarding those notifications?

 

[ycc]

OK sorry if my post was too short. I write shorter when I use the phone. I want to ask this community the following.

I just got several notifications from Avast. Please see the screenshot above.
My guess is that these notifications are wrong. Avast is indicating errors in programs even though the programs work all right.
I think I do not need to do anything about these notifications. (If I start clicking them I get options from avast to terminate programs like camera and gallery, I think this would be wrong.)
I think these notifications are not needed and Avast has produced them in error. I plan just to close them.

The notifications basically list the permissios of 14 apps. (The app gallery has the permission to delete files ... Like that) My impression is that Avast considers the apps have exceeded their permissions and should be closed.

But before I close and discard these notifications without taking any action, I want to ask this community if you think this is the right thing to do from me.

Do I need to take any action when i get these notifications?

 

[ycc]

To me it is obvious that Avast wants me to do something about this. But I think Avast has detected issues in programs that are ok. But I am not sure. Therefore I ask here if it is ok to ignore these notifications. (There are only 6 notifications now, not 14 any more.)

I should probably report them as "false positive" but I dont really feel competent to do this. If this forum agrees I will report them as false positive.

But I am note here to criticize avast. It has been super good on my laptop and has saved me from usb virus and other stuff. But here on the phone it is maybe still under development.

(tapping "more info" gives you the application manager with the option to force stop the program, and other options)

Maybe other users have reported some of them as false positive and that is why they are only 6 instead of 14 now?

 

[universeand]

To me it is obvious that Avast wants me to do something about this. But I think Avast has detected issues in programs that are ok. But I am not sure. Therefore I ask here if it is ok to ignore these notifications. (There are only 6 notifications now, not 14 any more.)

I should probably report them as "false positive" but I dont really feel competent to do this. If this forum agrees I will report them as false positive.

But I am note here to criticize avast. It has been super good on my laptop and has saved me from usb virus and other stuff. But here on the phone it is maybe still under development.

(tapping "more info" gives you the application manager with the option to force stop the program, and other options)

Maybe other users have reported some of them as false positive and that is why they are only 6 instead of 14 now?

I use Avast on the Note 2 and I just checked and I don't have any of those log errors.

 

[ycc]

The number of errors has gradually gone down to 3. One update of avast was also made.

The error log lists permissions for apps. I enclose what is says about google search. I am a little surprised about the extensive permissions. But I also fear problems difficult to understand if I start to change permissions manually.

Edit:
Is my Google Search set to have more extensive permissions than that of other users?

Sorry if my next replies may come irregularly. I am leaving on a trip. I am still very interested in hearing your views on this and I will read with interest what is posted here.

 

[universeand]

The number of errors has gradually gone down to 3. One update of avast was also made.

The error log lists permissions for apps. I enclose what is says about google search. I am a little surprised about the extensive permissions. But I also fear problems difficult to understand if I start to change permissions manually.

Edit:
Is my Google Search set to have more extensive permissions than that of other users?

Identical to mine.

 

[ycc]

Thanks for checking. Mine is updated. Strange I get these errors.

 

[ycc]

The number of errors gradually decreased to two (s voice and update agent). I asked the log manager to close them and not show any more.